كَأَنَّas though الدَهرَtime بَحرٌa sea نَحنُwe فيهِin it
كَأَنَّ الدَهرَ بَحرٌ نَحنُ فيهِ
عَلىin خَطَرٍdanger كَرُكّابِlike passengers aboard السَفينِthe ships
عَلى خَطَرٍ كَرُكّابِ السَفينِ
Time is like a sea in which we are
Life is like a sea on which we sail
In peril, like passengers aboard ships.
In constant peril like sailors on ships
بَكىwept جَزَعاًin anguish لِمَيِّتِهِfor his dead كَفورٌan ungrateful man
بَكى جَزَعاً لِمَيِّتِهِ كَفورٌ
فَجاءَso he came بِمُنتَهىwith the utmost الرَأيِthe judgment الأَفينِfoolish
فَجاءَ بِمُنتَهى الرَأيِ الأَفينِ
An ungrateful man wept in anguish for his dead,
An infidel wept in sorrow for his dead
And so displayed the utmost folly of judgment.
Then resorted to the height of wisdom.
مُصيبَةُcalamity دينِهِhis faith لَوif كانَhe was يَدريhe knows
مُصيبَةُ دينِهِ لَو كانَ يَدري
أَجَلُّgraver مِنَthan المُصيبَةِthe calamity بِالدَفينِover the buried one
أَجَلُّ مِنَ المُصيبَةِ بِالدَفينِ
The calamity to his faith, if he but knew,
If only he knew the calamity for his faith
Is graver than the calamity over the one buried.
Is far graver than the loss of treasures
قَدِindeed اِستَخفَيتُI hid myself كَالجَسدِlike the body المُواريburied
قَدِ اِستَخفَيتُ كَالجَسدِ المُواري
وَلَكِنَّand yet الطَوارِقَthe night visitations تَختَفينيunearth me
وَلَكِنَّ الطَوارِقَ تَختَفيني
I have indeed hidden myself like a buried body,
I have concealed myself like a shrouded corpse
Yet the visitations of night unearth me.
But raiders keep uncovering me
عَفاerased أَثَريmy trace الزَمانُtime وَماand never أَغَبَّتleft a day between visits
عَفا أَثَري الزَمانُ وَما أَغَبَّت
ضِباعٌhyenas فيin المَحَلَّةِthe quarter تَعتَفينيseek my bounty
ضِباعٌ في المَحَلَّةِ تَعتَفيني
Time has erased my trace, yet never have
Time has erased my traces and no hyenas
Hyenas in the quarter missed a day of seeking my bounty.
In this abode could track and uncover me
Sol 6.1